Low level light therapy method and apparatus with improved wavelength, temperature and voltage control

A photo-therapy device for supplying infrared radiation to tissue, comprising:

• a plurality of emitters arranged in an array, the array having groups of at least one emitter per group, each emitter being operative to emit infrared radiation at a photo-therapeutic wavelength when current is conducted through the emitter, each emitter emitting infrared radiation at a wavelength related to a temperature of the emitter, the temperature of each emitter being related to the current conducted through the emitter;
• a temperature regulation circuit including a temperature sensor disposed proximate to the emitters to sense the temperature of the emitters, the temperature regulation circuit supplying a control signal related to the temperature of the emitters sensed by the temperature sensor;
• a controllable power supply connected to the emitters and responsive to the control signal to supply current to the emitters to cause the emitters to emit IR radiation and to establish and maintain a predetermined temperature of the emitters to result in the emission of infrared radiation at a predetermined wavelength;
• a plurality of controllable switches, one controllable switch associated with each group, the controllable switch connected to conduct current through each emitter of the group with which the controllable switch is associated in response to an activation signal applied to that controllable switch;
• a selector connected to each of the controllable switches and operative to supply an activation signal to each of the controllable switches to activate each of the controllable switches separately;
• and
• an indicator connected with each group of emitters and operative to supply a visible light signal upon the emitters of that group conducting current.

A photo-therapy device for supplying infrared radiation to tissue, the tissue having an optimal absorption wavelength, comprising:

• an emitter operative to emit infrared radiation at a photo-therapeutic wavelength, the wavelength of the infrared radiation being related to a temperature of the emitter;
• a temperature regulation circuit which senses the temperature of the emitter and generates a control signal related to the temperature;
• and
• a controllable power supply connected to the emitter and responsive to the control signal to apply an output voltage to the emitter, changes in the control signal cause the controllable power supply to vary the output voltage;
• and wherein:
• the tissue is under a skin of a patient;
• the emitter has a characteristic wavelength of emitted radiation at room temperature which is shorter than the optimal absorption wavelength for the tissue, and
• the temperature regulation circuit and the controllable power supply are operative to control and stabilize the temperature of the emitter at a predetermined temperature which results in an emitted radiation wavelength which is closer to the optimal tissue absorption wavelength than is the wavelength at room temperature.

A photo-therapy device for supplying infrared radiation to tissue, comprising:

• a plurality of emitters arranged in groups of at least one emitter per group, each emitter operative to emit infrared radiation at a photo-therapeutic wavelength;
• a temperature regulation circuit including a temperature sensor which senses the temperature of the emitters and supplies a control signal related to the sensed temperature;
• a controllable power supply connected to the emitters and responsive to the control signal to supply current to the emitters to cause the emitters to emit IR radiation;
• a plurality of controllable switches, one controllable switch associated with each group and connected to cause the current supplied by the controllable power supply to be conducted through each emitter of the group with which the controllable switch is associated in response to an activation signal applied to that controllable switch;
• and
• a selector connected to each of the controllable switches and operative to supply an activation signal to each of the controllable switches to activate each of the controllable switches separately;
• and wherein:
• the selector supplies activation signals to each of the controllable switches in rotational sequence;
• and
• the groups of emitters emit radiation in rotational sequence in accordance with the activation of the controllable switches with which each group is associated.

A photo-therapy device for supplying infrared radiation to tissue, comprising:

• an emitter operative to emit infrared radiation at a photo-therapeutic wavelength related to a temperature of the emitter;
• a temperature regulation circuit which senses the temperature of the emitter and supplies a control signal related to the sensed temperature;
• and
• a controllable power supply connected to the emitter and responsive to the control signal to apply an output voltage to the emitter to cause the emitter to emit the IR radiation, changes in the value of the control signal cause the controllable power supply to vary the output voltage applied to the emitter;
• and wherein:
• the controllable power supply receives an input voltage within a range of input voltages;
• and
• the controllable power supply generates the output voltage at a value established by the control signal substantially independent of the input voltage within the range of input voltages.

A photo-therapy device for supplying infrared radiation to tissue, comprising:

• a plurality of emitters arranged in an array, the array having groups of at least one emitter per group, each emitter emitting infrared radiation at a photo-therapeutic wavelength when current is conducted through the emitter;
• a plurality of controllable switches, one controllable switch associated with each group, the controllable switch connected to conduct current through each emitter of the group with which the controllable switch is associated in response to an activation signal applied to that controllable switch;
• a selector connected to each of the controllable switches and operative to supply an activation signal to each of the controllable switches to activate separately each of the controllable switches;
• a controllable power supply connected to the array and operative to apply a controllable level of output voltage to the array, the level of the output voltage establishing an amount of current flow through the emitters, the controllable power supply responding to a control signal to vary the level of output voltage;
• and
• a voltage sensing network connected to the array to sense the output voltage from the controllable power supply and to supply a control signal to the controllable power supply which is related to the output voltage.

A photo-therapy device for supplying infrared radiation to tissue, comprising:

• at least one emitter emitting infrared radiation at a photo-therapeutic wavelength when current is conducted through the emitter, the amount of current conducted through the emitter depending upon a characteristic resistance of the emitter and a level voltage applied to the emitter;
• and
• a boost type switching power supply connected to the one emitter and operative to apply an output voltage to the emitter, the boost type switching power supply comprising:
• an inductor electrically connected at a first terminal to an input voltage supply;
• a filter capacitor connected via a diode at a second terminal of the inductor;
• a controllable switch connected at the second terminal of the inductor to conduct current through the inductor from the input voltage supply;
• a switching regulator connected to the controllable switch and responsive to a control signal to selectively control a conduction time and a non-conduction time of the controllable switch;
• and
• a voltage sensing network connected to the emitter to sense the output voltage from the switching power supply and to derive the control signal for controlling the switching regulator which is related to the output voltage and a temperature of the emitter.

A method for generating photo-therapeutic radiation for treating a condition of a living tissue, comprising the steps of:

• providing a voltage supply;
• emitting photo-therapeutic radiation from an emitter in response to current flow through the emitter from the voltage supply;
• generating a temperature signal relative to a temperature of the emitter;
• and
• regulating the voltage supply in response to the temperature signal.

A method for generating photo-therapeutic radiation for treating a condition of a living tissue, comprising the steps of:

• emitting photo-therapeutic radiation from a plurality of emitters in response to current flow through the plurality of emitters from a voltage supply, the plurality of emitters arranged in an array, the array having groups of at least one emitter per each group;
• conducting current through each emitter of the group separately in rotational sequence through all the groups;
• and
• regulating a voltage from the voltage supply applied to the array of emitters to control the current conducted through each group of emitter in the rotational sequence.